For the first time, a frozen embryo has been recognized by the law as a person with rights. This decision by the Alabama Supreme Court last week is a huge victory for anti-abortion groups, who have long sought to pass fetal personhood laws. This time, by declaring not just a fetus but a fertilized egg in a lab the equivalent of an “unborn child,” the courts have done them one better. If this keeps up, anti-abortion groups may succeed at outlawing both abortion and in vitro fertilization, or IVF.
“Fetal personhood” is emerging as a battleground in Florida’s abortion debate, posing a potential roadblock to those who want to guarantee access to the procedure in the post-Roe era through the ballot box. The legal question of when personhood is established could have far-reaching implications for abortion access and in-vitro fertilization, said Bob Jarvis, a law professor at Nova .
The Florida House committee greenlit a controversial measure that would empower parents to pursue civil lawsuits for the wrongful death of an “unborn child.” The decision has drawn sharp criticism from opponents who argue the bill’s ramifications could be far-reaching due to the bill’s vague language.
Lee County's National Organization for Woman chapter is raising concerns over a piece of legislation sponsored by a Fort Myers Republican state representative.A House committee on Wednesday approved controversial HB 651 that would allow parents to file civil lawsuits seeking damages for the wrongful death of an “unborn child,” with critics of the bill saying it is too broad and could shrink the number of doctors who deliver babies in Florida.It now moves to the full House for approval.